Australia
DifficultGibb River Road — Derby to Kununurra via the Kimberley Gorge Country (Classic Full Traverse, Wet Season Closed, Eastern Approach)
The Kimberley's 700 km red dirt masterpiece.
Feature: Historic
Namibia
EasyNamib Desert Welwitschia Drive — Swakopmund to Welwitschia Washplain via Moon Landscape and Swakop River Gorge
Alien terrain, ancient plants, zero crowds.
Australia
ModerateOodnadatta Track — Marree to Oodnadatta via the Old Ghan Railway Corridor and Lake Eyre Basin
The old Ghan's ghost, in the red heart.
British Columbia
DifficultStikine River Road — Dease Lake to Telegraph Creek via the Grand Canyon of the Stikine
John Muir's 100-mile Yosemite. No tourists.
Colorado
DifficultColorado BDR Southern Segment — Silverton to Chama via the San Juan Backcountry
San Juan high country, raw and unfiltered.
Northern Cape
ExpertRichtersveld Kuboes to Sendelingsdrift — Orange River Canyon Desert Rim
South Africa's harshest, prettiest dead end.
Mexico
ModerateConzatti Road — Hierve el Agua to Tlacolula via the Sierra Juárez Descent
Oaxaca's back door nobody takes.
California
ModerateMojave Road — Afton Canyon to Piute Spring via Soda Lake and Government Holes (Classic Full Run)
America's oldest overland route. Still raw.
China
ModerateTibetan Friendship Highway — Lhasa to Shigatse via Yamdrok Lake and Karo La Glacier
Glacier at the roadside. Turquoise lake below. 5,000 m up.
Australia
DifficultStrzelecki Track — Innamincka to Lyndhurst via the Cooper Creek Desert Corridor
Burke and Wills didn't make it. You might.